The present invention relates to a stairway for providing access to a beach, or other land area immediately adjacent a body of water, and in particular to a stairway which can be retracted or removed to avoid damage due to water or weather conditions.
In many areas, a person desiring access to a beach must climb over berms or dunes, which are frequently at a height several feet above the beach level, rendering access difficult. In these instances, piers or walkways are normally built over the berm or dune area. Since the outer end of the walkway, i.e., the end of the walkway closest to the beach, is generally several feet above the beach, a stairway is also constructed from the end of the walkway down to the beach. The distal end of the stairway, i.e., the end of the stairway closest to the beach, will normally extend into the beach surface.
Unfortunately, the topographical configuration of a beach does not remain static. The effect of tides and other water movement, as well as wind action, causes frequent and often dramatic shifting in the water location and level, the shore line, and the level of beach sand at a given location. Thus, a beach stairway suitably positioned at one time may be unsuitably positioned at another time. Also, changing conditions, particularly water movement, frequently results in damage to these stairways and walkways, necessitating their periodic repair or replacement.
Various portable or removable pier or dock structures have been described in the prior art as exemplified by the following patents:
______________________________________ 3,686,876 Munchell 3,999,397 Albery 4,008,506 Smith 4,107,932 Cantrell 4,123,912 Meldrum 4,352,597 Kay ______________________________________
While the constructions of some of the structures described in the above patents includes hinged sections, none of the structures described provide a safely usable stairway, which is readily retractable or removable when needed. Moreover, none of the cited references describe a stairway of this nature meeting building codes for structures of this type.
Accordingly, there still remains a need for a stairway structure permitting ready access from walkways extending over berms or dunes and the like down to a beach at a lower level. In particular, there is a need for a walkway including a retractable stair section that can be readily withdrawn or deployed as conditions and needs dictate, and stored in a manner which will still allow utilization of the walkway section.